Rubber cap-wrench



29, 1933- J. W.YWATERHOUSE 1,924,579

RUBBER CAP WRENCH Filed March 16, 1932 LI LIL'LLLLLLI U I LUU Fig.5.

,gwuenliot g- JQHNWWATERHO SE Patented Aug. 29, 1933 PATENT OFFICERUBBER CAP-WRENCH John W. Waterhouse, Portland, Oreg., assignor toGeorge E. Watts, Portland, Oreg.

Application March 16, 1932. Serial No. 599,187

6 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in rubber cap-wrenches for openingand sealing preserve jars or other containers closed with a screw cap,and more particularly to a unique form thereof providing for a greatvariety of uses and low manufacturing cost.

The principal object of 'my invention is the provision in a wrench ofthe character described of means to convert a portion of the twistingeffort exerted upon the device into centripetal forces to render thefrictional engagement of the device positive.

A second object is to provide for the increase in diameter of the partof the device held in the hand to that extent necessary to set uptensile strains therein of a magnitude essential to the insurance ofunbroken circumferential contact of the device with the cap to which itis applied.

A third object is to provide for increased leverages as the needtherefor arises.

A fourth object is to provide for manufacturing and shipping economies.

A fifth object is to provide for an enhanced durability of such devices.

Other objects 'and advantages of my invention are apparent in thefollowing discourse wherein the significance of the reference numeralsin the accompanying drawing, details of construction v and operation of'a typicaldevice embodying my invention, and the particular utilitythereof are explained.

Figure 1 represents a view of the obverse side of the entire device.

Figure 2 represents a view of the reverse side of the entire device.

Figure 3 represents a view of the side of the device from which asection has been removed to reveal the features of the inside.

Figure 4 is a view of a fragment of a preserve jar with cap attached towhich the wrench of my invention has been applied, the same being cutaway to reveal certain aspects of the engagement.

Figure 5 is a diagram illustrative of a variant manner of use of thedevice upon caps of relatively small diameter.

The entire device is of molded rubber and is of annular form. The insideof the device is formed with a series of uniform leaves as 1, extendingfrom one side to the other. These leaves are uniformly inclined from theradial position. As viewed from one side these leaves will be inclinedin one direction and when the device is turned over the leaves will beinclined in the opposite direction.

The whole of the device, being made of rubber, will be elastic andflexible in all of its parts.

When the wrench is applied to a preserve jar cap to unscrew the latter,it is applied with the side represented by Figure 1 uppermost. To seal ajar the wrench is applied so that the side represented by Figure 2 isuppermost. It will be observed that the leaves 1 incline in oppositedirections.

The wrench is made of such size as will provide a minimum normaldiameter between the innermost leaf edges 2 of slightly less than thediameter of the jar cap.

To apply the wrench to unscrew a jar cap it is placed over the cap inthe position illustrated in Figure 1 and rotated clockwise as downwardpressure is applied with the hand. The leaves will thus be bent orfolded together and the 'wrench will slip readily over the jar cap. Whenthe wrench is in the position illustrated in Figure 4, acounter-clockwise rotation is imparted to unscrew the jar cap. In thisdirection of rotation, the leaves 1 with the innermost edges 2 thereofin frictional contact with the jarv cap 4 will be bent away from eachother and then to assume an attitude approaching a true radialdisposition. It will be obvious that as the leaves are thus unfolded orbent toward the radial position, the whole wrench will be strained intension and the leaves themselves compressed between the thus tightlydrawn out portion 3 and the jar cap 4.

Several valuable effects will be apparent: a portion of the twistingeffort applied by the hand of the user will be converted intocentripetal forces tending to increase the friction between the leafedges 2 and the jar cap 4; the whole wrench will be expanded to a largerdiameter thus increasing the leverage; and the body of the wrench 3 willbe strained in tension so that any force ordinarily used will not belikely to stretch the wrench to an extent where contact between the leafedges 2 and the jar cap 4 will be broken.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the wrench may be usedratchet-wise to either seal or open a preserve jar or turn a cap of anysort to which the wrench may be applied.

In Figure 5 is illustrated a variant use of the wrench as applied to asmall bottle cap 6, or water bottle cap, or the like. In this use, theloop 5 formed by bending the wrench around a small cap, is grasped inthe hand. I V

Rubber being of considerable efficiency as a thermal insulator, thedevice, has many uses about 10 wrench of my invention be used to bothseal and open the same containers, the wear on the wrench will be nearlyequally divided between the two sides, thus approximately doubling thedurability as compared with other wrenches of similar character wherethe same side of the wrench is employed for both sealing and opening.

Having described my invention what I claim is:

1. A rubber cap-wrench of annular form fashioned on the inside withleaves inclined to the several radii.

2. A rubber cap-wrench of annular form fashioned on the inside with abroken cylindrical face the fragments of which are supported uponobliquely projecting leaves.

3. A rubber cap-wrench of annular form fashioned on the inside withleaves disposed in planes parallel to the axis and inclined to the radiithereof.

4. A rubber cap-wrench of annular Iorm fashioned on the inside withobliquely projecting leaves.

5'. A rubber cap-wrench of annular form fashioned on the inside with aninterrupted cylindrical surface the fragments of which are supportedupon obliquely projecting leaves of greater length than the inwardradial extension thereof.

6. A rubber cap-wrench of annular form fashioned on the inside withoblique leaves disposed in planes respectively tangent to a relativelysmaller but concentric cylinder.

JOHN w. WATERHOUSE.

